198 
SHOEING CAVALRY HORSES IN INDIA. 
hard hoofs, without any visible descent of the sole, or expan- 
sion of the heels, and without lameness. It is not requisite, 
therefore, to cc boil the peas,” or, in other words, to produce 
it by moisture, paring the sole, rasping the crust, bearing of 
the crust on a seated shoe, one-sided nailing, or any other 
chicanery, as paring out the corn places, all being quite 
unnecessary in shoeing irregular or regular cavalry in India; 
and as to riding horses without shoes, there such conse- 
quences, as regards natural hoofs of full proportion, are quite 
chimerical, the external part of the hoof being very hard 
indeed ; beneath it becomes gradually softer and com- 
pressible, yet tough and elastic, so as to receive and support 
the weight of the horse without concussion or temporary 
lameness; permanent lameness of the fore feet is rare. 
These are facts, as any one will very soon practically ascer- 
tain ; besides, these methods were put to the test by the late 
Mr. Goodwin, who had twenty fires in Oxford Street 
practising narrow-seated shoeing ; but in the very different 
position : serving his late Majesty George the Fourth, he did 
not fear the frown of a customer when his horse did not go 
to please. He actually in many cases adopted a convex 
upper surface of the shoe next the foot. 
As to turning up the toe of the shoe, this is practised by 
native shoeers only when the crust at the toe is broken, for 
reasons I have before explained, to get nailing through the 
edge of the sole. The ground surface of the shoe being 
concave (which would increase the thickness and weight), is 
not of the least consequence over the unmade roads of India. 
I beg the reader will not suppose I am prejudiced in 
favour of these methods of shoeing. I have not had anything 
to do with the feet or these methods of shoeing cavalry 
horses since 1835. I have merely described the practices, 
and the state of the hoofs that came under my observations. 
What modifications have been since introduced, either by 
students of the fate Professor Coleman or those of Professor 
Spooner, I do not know. The latter gentleman’s work on 
Shoeing I have never seen ; neither am I acquainted with 
the doctrines he teaches, nor the practices of shoeing at the 
Veterinary College, nor at Edinburgh ; which may do well 
enough for the latitude and longitude of these places — not 
from Cape Cormorin to Cabool. # 
* The recent orders regarding shoeing cavalry of course went, as a 
circular, to Her Majesty’s Regiments in India. Will these reports, which 
would be valuable, as coming from the elite of the profession, assisted by 
eminent London veterinary surgeons ever appear in print ? 
